...make for the best Sundays, I tell ya! I woke up early thinking I might brave the iced over streets and go see what was new in the mall but ended up staying in. I picked up the newest Stephen King book last week and I must say I am hooked as he is always able to make me. Even with his over use of giant, unnecessary words he truly amuses me! Humor and spookiness cant go wrong in my opinion.

It being cold outside did not stop me from having my ice cream fix today. Nope, it did not! Drumsticks! Heaven on a sugar cone. I have actually had two today. Yes, I said two. One for breakfast and one as I type. It is quite funny trying to catch the little nuts before they fall into the keyboard! Ha!

Getting up early, called for a nap somewhere amidst all the reading and ice cream. As I stretched in front of the bedroom window, sprawled out in the sun, I imagined this is how a fat, sassy cat I used to own felt. Yep, a relaxing good Sunday can lift the spirits and who doesn't need that every now and then? Something to daydream about while this week drags itself out...

It appears that the books I have immersed myself in, the magazines I claim keep me hip and in the know, the backs of cereal boxes for the newest jokes, writings on the bathroom walls that tell me who to call for a good time, picture stories and even the stories in the Bug's English book are not filling the need. My newest craving....blog sites. I can not get enough of them. I read them on lunch breaks (because I would never read them while working, dad and uncles), when the sandman refuses to visit, even tonight when my plans were cancelled because of the weather I wasn't too disappointed (sorry to my lovely friend I had plans with, our rain check is the only reason I wasn't terribly devastated, love and hugs!) because it meant the two or three blogs I discovered this afternoon no longer had to wait until my next free moment. However, I have looked at the clock, slapped the forehead and won't even mention the things I was suppose to get done after the 15 minutes I had originally allotted myself to read.

There is something about reading them that fascinates me. Friends, family members, even complete strangers have me so engrossed in their day to day thoughts and ideas. I have tried to contemplate why I find it so intriguing versus my other reading material...Could it be that I am reading about real people? Yes, the names and numbers on bathroom stalls are real too, but whether or not they are a good time is still up in the air. These people I read, however, are very much a good time. Well, at least my mind thinks so...now I'm off to read more on the girl scout cookie addict!

Note: The photo attached was found on Flickr posted by the user overthemoon. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to do that, it is something I have to google the rules about but it remains on that things I was suppose to get done list!

My children. Him 16, Her 11. Ohhh, the bickering I must endure. I think a gift I have been given is that I remember being a child, so I tend to understand what my two are feeling or going through most of the time and I never, ever forget that it is their right of passage to go through these things. So, I allow them to bicker. I do so with the age old trick parents inherit...tuning out, yet still being slightly aware. Examples: Reading a book while they are bouncing a ball through the living room, picking up your tea glass before said ball knocks it over while never missing a sentence in said book. Or, video game being played so loud the dog has his paws over his ears but the only thing you hear because you are cooking dinner is the $50 controller hitting the ground because the controller's operator died to the monster.

"Would you like to get a job, operator of the controller? No? Then have some respect!" I say this with my mean mother face! I secretly love making that face (it is "my" right of passage)!

My point being, I allow them to bicker with a few ground rules and my age old parenting trick always working. I sometimes even play along. Yes. I do! Don't judge me!!

I mean who can resist:

"Something smells!" one of the children say.

"Your face smells!" loving mother replies.

It truly makes me giggle!

However, there are a few classics that just don't work:

"Mom, you are the weirdest!" the 16 year old says.

"Your momma!" I reply stopping in mid stroll because I realize what I have just said!

Hysterical laughter from both children begin.

"See." he can barely get out from laughing so hard.

I refrain from mumbling crap to myself on my way to my room because at least for one tiny moment the bickering has seized while they join forces to make fun of their mother.

I went to see a movie this weekend that was so very funny! However, it got me to thinking...

I've seen movie after movie with leading ladies who can do it all. I mean they run companies or restaurants or write a column in a newspaper/magazine. They do this and make fabulous meals with dishes Ive never even heard of let alone try and cook. They raise their children, have immaculate homes, make flower arrangements from the clippings in their yards, go to the gym or yoga classes, grow their own vegetables, remodel their bathrooms all while never having a hair out of place.

For the last month I have been trying to paint my sons room. When it fits my schedule he hasn't cleaned it. When he has cleaned it, it doesn't fit my schedule.

When will they make a movie about a mother who barely gets by? The mother who got up, showered with her eyes half open, put the unruly hair in a ponytail, worked all day doing mundane tasks while dealing with cranky windbags, then goes home throws some pizza rolls in the oven, because one of the kids has a science project due tomorrow and they just told her this morning, has to run to the local store because apparently the dog decided to munch on the last glue stick, chunks the dinner dishes in the dishwasher, praying it will get the crap off she didn't feel like rinsing, return a few phone calls to people she is scared have made voo-doo dolls of her because she has neglected them so much lately, sees the dusty treadmill in the corner but figures the 14 million times she climbed up and down the stairs was a good enough workout, go upstairs to finally take a shower, see the bed, fall on it, wake up at the last minute the next morning to do it all over again. Yeah what about THAT kind of mother??

Rant over...I think I will work on my time management skills this week. I will let you know how it goes.

There is something about this part of the year that makes me understand why bears hibernate. After the refreshing warm breezes of Spring, the outside water activities and bbqs of Summer and the beautiful colors of Fall....there is Winter. Winter (which isn't so bad in the beginning because though everything looks dead there are still the twinkle lights of Christmas) is ugly! This area doesn't get beautiful snow, just dead trees and grass. It isn't even February yet and already pretty patterned scarves and matching gloves aren't doing it for me. I NEED MORE TWINKLE! I'm in a funk. A big one. It is making me extremely grumpy. I feel like I'm scowling all the time and my spirit and imagination are being crushed and my creative juices are frozen by bone chilling cold winds! I dream of flip-flops, hot dogs on the grill, car rides with the windows down, dipped cones that ACTUALLY MELT! I will stop venting now....but grrrrrrrrr!

....I shall miss you terribly. I shall miss your fried until they are the perfect shade of gold fries. I shall miss the toasted sesame seed buns on my "treat yourself" Big Mac days. I shall miss creamy chocolaty chocolate shakes. I shall miss that sweet tasting "pretending you are Chick-fil-A" southern chicken sandwich with the little pickle. I shall miss the 10:30 in the morning freshly made because breakfast is no longer being served cheeseburgers. I shall miss your crunchy two bite chicken mcnuggets with BBQ dipping sauce. I shall miss sweet tea with the perfect combination of ice in that non-sweating Styrofoam cup. I shall miss the concern on your drive thru employees faces when they haven't seen me in a few days....

Do not cry for me, my redheaded someone should have shown you how to apply lipstick friend, for in a few months when I can wear pretty "little" summer dresses maybe you will be nothing but a fond memory as I wave at your golden arches when I drive by.

Sidenote: My official goodbye is not until this Sunday so if you see me pulling out of the parking lot between now and then there is no need to scold.